Rangefinder buying guide: How to shop for distance-measuring devices

For most golfers, a distance-measuring device is a necessity. Sure, you can find a sprinkler head and walk off the yardage like an old-school caddie, but if you play golf on a regular basis, it’s almost a guarantee that someone in your foursome has a rangefinder at the ready to call out yardages and keep everyone moving along. Pace of play is important!

With a multitude of options on the market at different price points, shapes and sizes, there’s a device out there for everyone. Maybe you need the top-of-the-line rangefinder with all the bells and whistles. Maybe you’d be better off with a scaled-down point-click-and-shoot unit that gives you just the number to the target. Or maybe you don’t want (or need) a traditional distance-measuring device.

With the PGA Championship allowing distance-measuring devices for the first time, now feels like as good a time as ever to point out three things you should be taking into consideration before making a purchase.